The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) takes great pleasure in announcing that in 2021 the Government of Malta made its first ever voluntary contribution of €20,000 to the TFV. This recognition of the TFV by Malta illustrates its commitment, despite the global challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, to making reparative justice a reality for victim-survivors of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC.
Speaking on Malta’s support of the TFV’s work, H.E. Mark Pace, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to the Netherlands said: “Malta has always been a firm proponent of multilateralism and strongly believes that the ICC plays an essential role in reigning in impunity and protecting fundamental human rights. Reparative justice gives the Rome Statute a truly human dimension and offers the victims of grave human rights violations, the chance to look to the future with renewed hope. Our contribution is a sign of support, engagement and appreciation of the valuable work being carried out by the Trust Fund for Victims in this regard.”
Welcoming the donation, the TFV Executive Director Pieter de Baan thanked the Government of Malta and emphasized the significance of this contribution saying “The TFV expresses its sincere gratitude to Malta for its first voluntary contribution. It sends a powerful message about the importance of reparative justice for victims within the Rome Statute system, and about the role in this regard of the Trust Fund for Victims, alongside the ICC. ” Mr De Baan added: “Malta’s trust in our efforts and commitment to the victims who are at the heart of our work will enable the TFV to continue implementing reparations and assistance programmes, in the path towards building a better and more just future. The TFV thanks Malta for its act of recognition and looks forward to continuous engagement and partnership in the future.”
Voluntary contributions enable the Trust Fund for Victims to provide reparative value to victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC through reparations awards and assistance activities.
To date, the TFV is implementing four reparations ordered by the ICC, the Lubanga, Katanga, Al Mahdi and Ntaganda cases. The convicted persons in these cases were all found to be indigent and the TFV has responded to the ICC’s requests to consider complementing the payment of the reparations awards. The TFV has also engaged in the fifth reparations proceeding in Ongwen since the beginning of 2021.
Under its assistance mandate, the TFV provides medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, education, income-generating activities, and livelihood support. The TFV is continuing with its programmes in Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. The TFV will soon launch new assistance programmes in Georgia, Kenya and Mali early 2022.